Machine for expanding slitted sheets



Feb. 24, I925. 1,527,403

M. s. GROH MACHINE FOR EXPANDING SLITTED SHEETS Filed Nov. 27. 1923Patented Feb. 24, I925.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES MELVIN SOLOMON GROH, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING- COMPANY, OFYOUNGSTOWN,

OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MACHINE FOR EXPANDING SLITTED SHEETS.

Application filed November 27, 1923. Serial No. 677,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN SOLOMON GROH, a subject of the King of Great-Britain, and a resident of the city of Toronto, in the county of York.in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Expanding Slitted Sheets. of which thefollowing is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for expanding slittedcorrugated sheets for producing expanded metal and the object of theinvention is to devise means whereby the expanding of. the slittedcorrugated sheet can be done for the full length and width of the sheet.

A further object is to devise means for simultaneously engagingcorresponding slitted portions of the corrugations.

A still further object is to devise means for holding the forward edgeof the slitted corrugated sheet in engagement with the expanding means.

Another object is to devise .means for holding the unexpanded portion ofthe slitted corrugated sheet in a plane sub stantially at right anglesto the portion expanded by the expanding means.

My invention consists of a machine constructed and arranged all ashereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof broken away intermediately.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational detail of a portion of the roll andtable showing the slitted corrugated sheet inserted therebetween.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross section through the line 44Figure 1, and

' Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the slitted corrugated sheetshowing the dis- M position of the staggered slits, one part beingunexpanded and the other expanded.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent views.

1 is a base provided with the vertically extending column 2 having thevertical slot 3 in its rear face of dove-tailed cross section. intowhich is inserted the corres 0ndingly dove-tailed tongue 4 of thevertically disposed leg 5 of the table support 6. 7 is an internallythreaded boss on the leg 5 and 8 is an aligned internally threaded bosson the base. 9 is a threaded spindle having its upper and lower endrespectively threaded into the bosses 7 and 8, said spindle beingprovided with a hand wheel 10 which is secured thereto, the threads ofthe upper portion of the spindle 9 being in opposed relation to thethreads on the lower portion.

11 is the table for carrying the slitted corrugated sheet, said tablehaving the depending skirt 12 at its forward end, said table beingprovided with longitudinally disposed countersunk slots 13 thereinthrough which freely extend the headed screws 14, said screws beingthreaded into the table support 6. 15 is a transverse rib provided atthe rear end of the table support 6 through which is threaded thesetscrews 16, the forward ends of which engage the rear edge of thetable 11.

17 is a roll supporting frame extending upwardly from the base 1 andprovided with the arms 18 into which is journalled the shaft 19 of theroll 20, the periphery of said roll being provided with a. plurality ofcontinuous longitudinally extending die ribs of sawtooth cross sectionand coextensive in length with the roll body, as is clearly illustratedin Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing. 21 are upwardly extending spacedapart brackets formed on the frame 17, said brackets being connectedtogether by a cross member 22 of L-shaped cross section, said member 22being provided with a plurality of vertically extending slots 23 throughwhich extend the setscrews 24 which are threaded into the verticallyextending tensioning or drag plate 25, the lower end 26 of WhlOll isbevelled and disposed above the leaving or expanding edge of the slitted.blank carrying table 11. 27 are a plurality f setscrews threadedthrough the horizontal portion of the member 22 and adapted to engagethe top of the plate 25. r

The ribs 28 on the roll preferably do not extend around the entirecircumference, a space constituting a land 29 being provided asillustrated in Figure 1.

The shaft 19 of the roll is provided with a drive pulley 30 connected byany suitable means to a line shaft or other source of power.

The slitted corrugated sheet used in form'- ing the expanded metal hasthe corrugations disposed transversely and the slits longitudinally. Theslits are interrupted slits, each alternate row being'staggered in relation to the intermediate rows- The operation of my machine is asfollows:

The slitted corrugated sheet is applied to the table ll and the plate 25so adjusted that it exerts a certain amount of tension on the sheet, theforward edge of the sheet up to the first row of slits protruding overthe for ward edge of the table. The roll is then positioned so that theland 29 is opposite the table. Upon the rotation of the roll in aclockwise direction the substantiallycontinuous shoulder of the firstrib 28 will engage at one operation 'the forward edge of the sheetthroughout its entire length, pulling it down as is illustrated inFigure Each successive rib likewise engages the succeeding longitudinalrow of strands constituting the next protruding portion of the sheet,pulling it down in a similar manner. The length of the roll 20 issubstantially equal to the length of the sheet of slitted corrugatedmaterial, and the circumference of the roll is substantially equal tothe width' of the finished expanded sheet.

The vertical and horizontal adjustments for the table 11 are for thepurpose of taking different sizes of stock.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have devised a.simple and effective means of expanding a slitted corrugated sheet whichwill function simultaneously across the entire width thereof and whichwill, moreover, be positive in its feed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A machine for expanding slitted metal sheets comprising a supportingtable for an unopened slitted sheet, and a rotated roll having upon itsperiphery a circun'iferential series of spaced die-ribs coextensive inlength with the roll body and .each presenting a substantiallycontinuous shoulder adapted to engage at one operation a single row ofstrands throughout the entire length of'the sheet, and the successivedie ribs on the roll periphery being arranged to engage and pullsuccessive rows of strands of the sheet lying between the rows of slitsin a direction at right angles to the unopened and unexpanded part ofthe sheet as the roll is rotate i 2. A machine for expanding slittedcorrugated sheets comprising a rotated roll hav ing longitudinal ribs, asheet supporting ta.- ble, adjustable means for engaging the sheet inthe vicinity of its forward edge, the successive ribs onthe rollengaging and pullring out the successive portions of the sheet lyingbetween the rows of slits in a direction substantially at right anglesto the unexpanded part of the sheet as the roll is rotated, andadjustable means for varying the distance between the forward edge ofthe table and the periphery of the roll.

3. A machine for expanding slitted corrugated sheets comprising a frame,a roll rotatably supported in the frame and having a plurality oflongitudinal ribs, a supporting table located at one side of the roll,means for vertically adjusting said table support, a corrugated sheetcarrying table arranged in saidv table support, means for horizontallyadjusting said table. and means positioned above the leaving edge ofsaid table for engaging and tensioning the edge of the slittedcorrugated sheet.

4. A machine for expanding slitted corrugated sheets comprising a frame,a roll rotatably supported in the frame and having a plurality oflongitudinal ribs, a supporting table located at one side of the roll,means for vertically adjusting said table support, a corrugatedsheet-carrying table arranged in said table support. means forhorizontally adjusting said table. brackets carried by the frame whichsupports the roll, a plate carrying member extending between saidbrackets, and vertically extending corrugated sheet engaging platesadjustably carried by said plate carrying member.

5. A. machine for expanding slitted corrugated sheets comprising arotatable roll having a. plurality of longitudinally extending ribs, avertically and horizontally adjustable support for the slittedcorrugated sheet arranged at one side of the roll, and means disposedabove the leaving edge of said support for engaging with the corrugatedsheet and constituting a drag thereon.

6. A machine for expanding slitted corrugated sheets comprising arotatable roll having a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs. avertically and horizontally adjust- .a-ble support for the slittedcorrugated sheet arranged at one side of the roll. and a drag platedisposed above the leaving edge of said support and having the loweredge thereof beveled, and means for vertically and horizontallyadjusting said plate with reference to the leaving edge of said support.

7. A machine for expanding slitted corrugated sheets comprising'a basehaving an upright frame and upright column members, a roll having aplurality of longitudinal ribs rotatably journaled in the frame members.a corrugated sheet supporting device mounted to be vertically adjustableon said column members. said device comprising a sheet carrying tablehaving a horizontal portion and a vertical depending apron portion andfurnishing an expanding edge between the two, means for adjusting thehorizontal portion of said table, and means positioned above theexpanding edge of said for supporting the slitted corrugated sheets 10table for engagin with a corrugated sheet so that the same will bepassed to the succesdisposed on the ta 1e. sive ribs on the roll therebyto expand the 8. A machine for expanding slitted corruslitted sheet intomeshes, and means coopgated sheets comprising a rotatable rollhavaerating with the support for constituting a ing a plurality oflongitudinal ribs regularly drag on the slitted unexpanded portion of 15spaced on its periphery except for axpredethe sheet. termined spacethereby providing a longitudinally extending land on the roll, meansMELVIN SOLOMON GROH.

